Night Swimming
by Lady K2
Summary: Post DOBS-Aang has pulled inside himself, Katara is dangerously close to a breakdown, but a midnight interlude might be what they both need to get them through this war. Explains Katara's connection to the Avatar and reason Aang was frozen for 100 years.
1. Love is Brightest in the Dark

_Gah, I've been struggling with whether to post this. I'm not entirely happy with the ending yet, but I'm anxious to see what people think of it. Tacky or not, this will be a 3 chapter postie. __Inspired by the song Nightswimming by REM, brought forth due to a very long flight home last Christmas. Takes place just after DOBS - written before the Western Airtemple, thus my descriptions should not contain any spoilers for those of you who have not spoiled yourselves. There may be some spoiliers in the last chapter, but I'll give good warning for that. _

_Synopsis: In the wake of the serious defeat during the DOBS attack, the gaang and their new companions reach the Western Airtemple to collect themselves and develop their next course of action. Aang has pulled inside himself, wrought with guilt, and Katara is dangerously near a breakdown despite her strength, but a midnight interlude may be just the thing they both need to get them through the rest of this war. Contains lots of Kataang goodness, how their relationship is tied to the avatar, and hints at my thoughts on the reason Aang was frozen for so long. _

_May this be entertaining and let me know what you think!_

_I do not own Avatar. Mike, Bryan, and Nick Studios do, but they were kind enough to let me borrow them. I promise to return characters dry cleaned, pressed, and wrapped in plastic._

_Rated T for safety. _

**Night Swimming**

**Chapter One: Love is Brightest in the Dark**

The ride to the Western Air Temple was had in complete silence. After Aang announced their destination, there was little else to be said. Katara sat behind him in Appa's saddle, staring into the blue line of his tattoo that curved softly with his neck. Appa was still flying in full armor, but he wasn't complaining, and Katara had a feeling he was aware of all that had transpired.

The air blowing past them was the only sound that played upon her ears. As she pulled her eyes away from the back of Aang's head to take in the solemn faces around her, her heart sank deeper. She looked down at her wrist guards, toying with her hands a moment before letting out a heavy breath. It seemed to freeze and fall to her lap, and not for the first time that day, she bit back her need to cry for the defeat, for the people sacrificed, for the loss of her father…again.

In an attempt to distract herself she picked her head back up, tossing it a little to the side and letting the wind catch her hair and move it away from her face. Her eyes were met with the curve of Aang's arrow again, and her thoughts turned to him. He had not looked behind him or spoken a word, but she didn't need to see his face to feel how broken his heart was. She knew how badly he wanted to set things right. She knew of the guilt he bore for running away 100 years ago, the shame of his defeat at Ba Sing Se, and now this. His chance to redeem himself had been thwarted.

Of course, she knew he would not see it that way. He would see it as his failure and his alone. He would bare the souls that had stayed behind on his back right next to the scar Azula had marked him with.

This new direction of thoughts was not helping her at all. Her chest ached for her father and the other adults, but it only grew more intense as she pondered over Aang's feeling. She had accepted her bond to him for awhile now, but it was difficult during his times of emotional wreckage. He didn't realize, and she would never tell him, but she felt it too. The troubles he bore were never his alone. She carried them too, and as talented as she was at always finding away to turn it around for him, she found herself struggling to find anything positive about this moment.

The Waterbender sighed again, lowering her eyes a bit to the place where Aang's scar rested beneath his orange and yellow robes. _I wish I knew how to heal your heart._ She pursed her lips and allowed herself to look around at the thin clouds slowly growing thicker as they neared their destination. She wondered if Aang had been to this temple before. He so rarely talked about what it was like growing up for him with the nomads. He had shared that one night in the cave with her, but that had been it, and she never asked for fear it may be too painful for him. She worried now that it may be worse, with the defeat, and no way to know what condition the temple was left in. _Just one more crack, that's all it might take._ She paused, and then thought, _for him or for you Katara?_

She shook the thought from her head, gathering her strength in remembering when she first found him in the iceberg. How happy and light he had been before the weight of the world literally dropped like rocks onto his shoulders. Then it suddenly occurred to her, _If Aang hadn't run away and been trapped in that iceberg, I never would have known him. Never would have met him. We'd have been in completely different lifetimes. The fate of the world may have been different but…_ She paused, brining her eyes back to his tattoo, and suddenly found her lips tingling with warm speckles. She resisted the urge to reach up and touch them as the full memory of his kiss filled her senses. _There is that_. She thought to herself, the one positive thing she could find in the chaos of tragedy that surrounded them. If she'd had any doubts about how deep her feelings for Aang were before, there was none now. His kiss had startled her, obviously, but the touch had instantly lit her face on fire. Powerless to stop it, she had given into it all for 

that brief moment. Then he was gone, and she was left with nothing but the warmth showing beneath her flesh. In spite of all that had happened, there was that.

--

The temple was amazing. She cranked her neck back to gaze upward at the towering spires that twisted and swirled, all the way down to the base that revealed engravings of Sky Bison in various poses. She could tell this place had once been filled with gardens and Lemurs, Bison, and who knows what other creatures had made their home here. She knew it must have been a sight to behold. She turned around to tell Aang so, but was already on the other side of Appa helping Sokka remove his armor. The two were silent as they worked. She sighed again, lowering her head and grabbing what was left of their pack supplies and followed after The Duke, Haru, Toph, and Teo.

It was Teo who first broke the silence, unable to contain his amazement at the beauty of the architecture any longer.

"I've been at the Northern Temple for as long as I can remember, but that is nothing compared to this. Look at all the spirals and sculptures. It's incredible."

Katara nodded, about to comment but Toph piped in slowly.

"It seems that these Airbenders had hair." She curled up her face a bit in confusion, getting images of the statues from the vibrations of Teo's chair on the stone pathways.

"That's because only female Airbenders lived at the Eastern and Western temples."

Katara whipped around, sending her hair flying to her back as Aang came up behind them solemnly. It was the first time he had spoken since they left.

"Female Airbenders shave the front of their head to expose their arrow, and then they let their hair grow out behind it. They were the keepers of the Bison. I came here once, to get Appa."

Katara pursed her lips again and nodded with arms still full of supplies. "It's beautiful." She said sincerely, looking at him intently and attempting to express her concern for him through her eyes, but he ignored it, looking away intently.

"Follow me. I'll show you were we can camp for the night." He kept his head down, staff in one hand, Momo resting on his shoulders quietly. Even the normally chatty monkey was downcast.

Katara bit her lip and followed behind the others, Appa and Sokka brining up the rear. Sokka had yet to speak either. She slowed her pace till he caught up. She had intended to say something, but there wasn't anything to say. The moment she was beside him she knew exactly what was going through his mind. _Dad…_ With head lowered she walked beside her brother and together they silently wallowed in their anguish.

--

Aang had led them to what had once been a covered arboretum. The remnants of dead plants and trees still remained, along with a rusted pipe that had apparently spouted water for the bison and any other thirsty passerbyers. They built a small, respect fire in a pit that Haru gracefully made. It didn't take much for him, a few boulders here and there and they were set. Sokka and The Duke had set about getting some spare wood, asking Aang if it was ok to take some of the dead tree limbs. Aang had dismissed them and told them to do whatever they wanted, and he'd went about setting up the sleeping bags and gathering water. Toph had gone with him while Katara had prepared the meal for that evening.

They ate in mostly silence. A few people spoke here and there, particularly Teo, Haru, and The Duke. She could tell they felt nervous. The rest of them had grown so comfortable with each other in the past months that silence, given the circumstances, wouldn't have needed to be broken. They were all grieving, and they were doing it in their own ways, but the new comers didn't quite understand that. No one seemed to mind though. It was a bit of a distraction, and Sokka even talked a little. Mostly asking Haru about what had happened after they left and about his new facial hair. He admitted to being vastly jealous, but that was all the joke the Water Tribe warrior could offer. It was a dim night indeed.

Katara had been listening, taking it all in, commenting here and there, but out of the corner of her eye she'd been watching Aang. He was perched on a ledge by one of the carved out windows that surrounded the arboretum. He held his staff downward, as if on guard duty, but if that's what he was doing he said nothing. He didn't even eat. Looking up at the ceiling she saw more paintings of Sky Bison and wind patterns sketched together in a beautiful motif. It was breath taking, and had it been any other time, it might not have brought her such immense sadness. _This place is far too quiet. It shouldn't be like this._ She brought her eyes back down to Aang, and to her surprise was met with fierce grey eyes. It startled her, and she visibly inhaled as their eyes locked for a minute and she could feel them having one of their wordless conversations.

And that was it. She couldn't take it any longer. She stood up and politely excused herself from the group, claiming she needed a little walk before bed. No one objected or even questioned her. They all understood she needed a moment to grieve.

Grateful, she slipped away, with one last long look at Aang, who was still staring at her, then she turned on heel and exited through the entry way.

When she stepped into the cool air, a gust of wind blew her hair loops back and she closed her eyes, leaning into it a bit and imaging it blowing way the sorrow surrounding her. It helped a little, and she was glad she had left when she did. She didn't know how much longer she could be strong, and she did not want Aang to see her break down. He needed her to be strong right now, to get him through this, and somehow keep his spirit intact. She knew if she was going to do that, she needed to have a moment to herself.

The moon was full. It was interesting to think it had, hours earlier, eclipsed the sun in its brilliance, but that was over now. It was the same moon, and she could feel it filling her with a peace that only the moon could. _Water…_ she needed water. The two together would be a good outlet for her. She just needed to touch it, feel it, have it caress her skin and wash away whatever darkness it could.

She followed the path in the direction of the moon, winding around and through places that looked as if they had been like a park. Stone benches with Air Nomad symbols carved into them. Statues of female benders littered one area, and she guessed from the various symbols and kneeling pads that this must have been a place of worship, or mediation. She wasn't even sure if Air Nomads worshiped anything, but she did know they were highly spiritual. The entire grounds were breath taking, even the play area she encountered just before she saw the spot she was looking for. There was a pool of water still surviving beneath a Bodhisattva tree. It was just off to the side of what had obviously been a recreation or game area. She recognized the game Sokka and Aang had played at the Southern Temple, as well as some other equipment she did not recognize. All of it looked pretty battered and run down though. She was almost afraid to touch it for fear it might break.

The waterbender inhaled deeply and made her way to the small pool she'd spotted. The Moon seemed to have been drawn to it as well because it hovered over it, almost calling her to come sit down and be comforted. Katara listened.

She closed her eyes as she slipped her feet into the cool water, her fingers burring into what was left of the grass beneath her. It took a few moments. She felt it coming. The welling from deep within her stomach, moving up to her chest, and then getting stuck in her throat. She'd been holding it there all night, and only now did she finally release it. With the Moon as her only witness she unleashed a sob and fell forward, hands reaching up to cradle her face as her body wracked with the sorrows she was releasing into the pond.

"K…Katara?"

A very delicate and hesitant voice sounded from behind her.

Instantly cutting off her sob, she sucked it back in, causing her stomach to churn. She couldn't look right away, needing a moment to collect her face and wipe away the tears. She didn't need to look behind her to know.

"Wha…what are you doing here Aang?" She fought to keep her voice as level as possible, but there was no meanness in her tone. She was simply trying to hide her breakdown.

"I…I followed you."

She swallowed, still wiping at the tears that just would not stop coming and getting angry at them for it. "Why, why did you do that?"

Aang bit down on his bottom lip, tears welling up in his eyes as guilt and shame threatened to overwhelm him, but he held it together. She deserved that much from him. He took a gentle step forward, so soft it made practically no sound. "Because I needed to tell you something. I needed to tell you that…that I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He took another step forward and dropped down to his knees beside her. "I'm sorry for taking your father away from you again. For failing you." He lowered his head, trying hard to clear his throat but the tears came anyway. He looked away from her and wiped at them, then turned back, conviction in his voice, anger on his face. "But I'll get him back for you Katara. I promise. Not the avatar, but me. I won't let you be without your father again."

Katara used the wraps around her wrists to wipe at her eyes. She had long since discarded her wrist guards, but the wraps were always there, just in case something happened, and something always happened.

She looked at him, pulling her feet out of the water and brining them up to her chest. She rested her head on it, eyes red, nose runny. She watched him struggle to hold back his tears and look away from her in shame. She could feel it dripping off of him and leeching into her. She reached out and gripped the hand that was resting on the ground nearest her. She held it tightly, wrapping her fingers around it and squeezing.

She heard him sniff as he used his arm to wipe his eyes and then turned to her, his orbs as red and haunted as her own. She could hear him asking her why, why did she hold onto him when he should be left alone to suffer for his crimes.

"You don't understand do you?"

He looked at her blankly.

She lowered her eyes a moment, nerves striking her heart, but it was quickly erased by the desperation of the moment. "I'm not just worried about my father Aang. I…I'm worried for you too. I'm crying…for you, as much as for him."

Aang blinked a few times, staring at her as confusion slowly entered his eyes. "I don't…"

In an instant she leaned forward and encased his lips with hers. She pressed against him hard, squeezing his hand tighter and using it to pull him closer to her. She held him there as the heat she was now becoming familiar with flared like lightening. She felt him stiffen, much as she had when he had surprised her, and it took a second before he melted into her. Then she tasted salt on her lips, not just from his tears, but hers as well. When she released his mouth, she knew they were both crying.

"Do you understand now?" She muttered softly, giving up on halting her tears and letting him see her for all her strength and weakness.

Aang nodded slowly as he looked at her face, at her blue eyes reflecting the moonlight like the pool of water in front of them. He reached up and delicately wiped the tears on her cheek with the back of his hand. She closed her eyes, leaning into it and used her free hand to cup his own as she sort or rubbed her cheek against his palm.

"I need you" She whispered against his palm. "I need you, to be, you."

Aang released a shaky breath he'd been holding since she kissed him. A few more tears spilled down his face before he gave into them fully and threw his arms around her, pulling her tightly into an embrace. "I…I think you already know how much I need you, but I still have no idea how someone as strong and brave as you could need me."

For the first time since they arrived at the temple, the corners of her mouth curled into a smile. She sniffed and pulled away to look at him. "Because you remind me how fun life can be. You remind me to actually live it."

Now it was Aang's turn to reveal a hidden smile. He thought she was crazy, but he could see the truth of her words on her face. He shook his head a little in amazement.

"Now, do you see why I need you to get through this? Why I need you to stop blaming yourself and recognize how hard you are trying, how much hope you've already given the world?"

He pursed his lips and nodded gently, still holding her hand down by the grass. The cool dew from it causing a stark contrast between the heat radiating from their touch. "I just want to make you proud, and I need to right the wrong that's been done."

Now it was Katara's turn to reach up and cup his cheek. "You have, and you will Aang. I've never doubted that for a second."

The airbender actually laughed a little, sadness tainted it, but lighter than before. "You've never given up on me."

She shook her head. "And I won't."

He closed his eyes and relinquished her hand on the ground to use both of them to grasp the one pressed to his face. He sighed into it, his face sticky with his grief. He breathed in the scent of her skin and could smell the salt from her tears. He kissed her hand softly, once, twice, and a third time before he opened his eyes to look at her again.

When it happened this time, they were both ready. Their excitement filled the air like static and seemed to spark as they drew near. Both closed their eyes in anticipation. They could feel each other's breath on their lips, their stomachs twisting elatedly, and then…

"Hey you two. Whatcha doing way out here?" Sokka walked up to the pair curled closely by the pool of water, Momo perched on his shoulder with his head cocked quizzically.

They jumped away so quickly Aang actually airbended himself up an inch before settling back down a small distance from Katara. Not a single piece of their body remained in contact.

Katara looked away, quickly hiding her flushed cheeks as Aang tried to collect himself and erase the horror from his face. He knew he should say something, but the airbender could find no words.

With a deep breath, Katara forced her racing heart to steady and turned to face her brother. "I came out here to collect myself. Aang found me out here a few minutes ago."

Sokka furrowed his brow and looks suspiciously at the two. The warrior could definitely be foolish at times, but he was no idiot. He'd seen this coming for awhile now. He contemplated yanking Aang up by his robes and chewing them both out for being irresponsible, but today wasn't exactly normal circumstances. He looked at his sister's face and sighed. _Ah, who am I kidding. I can't be a hypocrite. If I'd met princess Yue at 14 I wouldn't have been able to resist either, no matter how young I was._ He shook his head. "All right, well, it's time to turn in anyway. Toph and Haru found some rooms we can stay in. Let's call it a day."

Aang still looked shell shocked, but he managed to nod and get to his feet a little shakily. He offered his hand to Katara to help her stand, but the menacing glare he received from Sokka caused him to retract it rather comically. He blushed a little and put his hand behind his head innocently.

Katara rolled her eyes and ignored Sokka's hand as he extended it, getting to her feet herself. "Thanks Sokka." She said in a rather sarcastic tone.

Her brother shrugged and gave a goofy grin. "No problem Sis."

Katara scoffed and started walking back towards the temple ruins.

Aang looked at Sokka and gave him a cheesy grin, but the warrior practically growled and shot flame from his nose. "Whoa!" Aang leaped up into the air and took off running to catch up with Katara.

Sokka followed behind giving the lemur a pat on the head. "Crisis averted Momo. We better keep an eye on those two." He winked at his furry friend who blinked at him as if he were crazy. They joined the rest of the group who were picking rooms and roommates for the evening.

"I know you two are already bunkmates, but would you mind if I join you? I'm not that big, and I don't take up a lot of space." The Duke looked innocently at Haru and Teo who were heading to the nearest room that had two beds. Haru and Teo looked at each other then chuckled.

"Well of course Duke. We wouldn't have it any other way. I'm sure we can make another bed. Teo's very inventive." Haru smiled gently.

"That's great!" The Duke leaped up and shouted, then frowned as he came back down. "but how many times do I have to tell you, it's "The Duke!"

Haru chuckled and puts his hand on his little friends back. "All right, all right. Common…THE Duke."

Teo laughed and rolled his eyes as he rolled behind quickly in his chair.

The original gang was left standing around the dying fire. "There's only two more rooms that we found" Toph spoke up. "Unless of course Twinkle Toes knows of any others."

Aang looked down at the ground and shook his head. "I'd have to do some exploring. I only came here once."

Toph nodded. "Ok then, looks like Sugar Queen and I…"

Sokka interrupted, "Actually, I think Katara and I will room tonight. It will be just like back home." He threw his arm around Katara's shoulder and punched it with his other arm gently. "Huh, huh. Just like old times. We can stay up playing shadow puppets like we used to."

Katara rolled her eyes again and crossed her arms. "Greeeaaaaate."

Toph looked at Aang and threw up her arms in exaggerated excitement. "Guess that means me and you Twinkle Toes!" She laughed menacingly and punched his arm.

Aang's shoulders slumped and he tried to give an excited expression, but gave up when he remembered Toph wouldn't be able to see it. As he followed the Earthbender to their shared room for the evening he looked back over his shoulder to watch Katara walk away with her brother. His eyes met hers as she cranked her neck to look back at him. He saw her smile just a little bit, and unable to help himself, he smiled back and mouthed the words "Goodnight" before turning around and catching up to Toph.

--

_Ta Da! __You made it through the angsty part. Now onto fluff! Chapter two will be full of romance. _


	2. Night Swimming

_Ok, so here be chapter two! Thanks to all who left your thoughts (that's writer soul food). I'm glad you liked this. I never thought about it, but I guess this could be an episode. Of course Nick would never let one focus entirely on these two. Still, one can hope. :) Thanks again, and for the lurkers out there I appreciate you adding the story to your alert or lists._

_Since this was inspired by a song, I included the lyrics. They do not fit explicitly, but stretch the imagination and you'll see. ;)_

_Enjoy the fluff, and let me know what you think. Peace!_

_I do not own avatar - obviously._

--

**Chapter Two: Night Swimming**

_Nightswimming deserves a quiet night  
The photograph on the dashboard, taken years ago,  
Turned around backwards so the windshield shows  
Every streetlight reveals the picture in reverse  
_

He waited until Toph was snoring so loudly the pebbles on the ground were bouncing like jumping beans. He'd rolled over on his side, pretending to sleep, but he lay there wide awake, his mind replaying their second kiss over and over again in his head. He wanted a third one so bad. One that they both shared, as opposed to surprising each other.

_Now look whose getting greedy._ He said to himself. _I should be happy I got to kiss her at all, even just once!_

But he couldn't help himself. She was like one of Gyatso's amazing fruit pies; one taste was just never enough. He felt guilty though for thinking only of himself and what he wanted. What of her needs? She had been so sad when he'd found her. _She's taken on so much, and has been sacrificing pieces of herself since the day I met her._ And for what? _For me._ The thought made him turn over and stare at the ceiling, now confident Toph was asleep. _Even when she was breaking down, she still gave to heal me._ And she had healed him. He hadn't given what happened at the Fire Nation capital one single thought since he sat with her. He could thank her lips for that.

The Airbender formed his face in fierce determination. _I want to give something back to her._ He thought about it for a few moments, ideas racing through his head like storm clouds.

"_Aang, what are you up to on this stormy night?" _

_Aang froze. His shirt half way over his head, pants already down around his ankles. He struggled to pull his tunic back down and slowly turned around. He smiled innocently at his guardian. "Um…I was just…just going for a swim." He laughed again nervously putting his hands behind his back and still trying to look innocent._

_The elderly Air Nomad chuckled richly coming a bit closer to his charge. "In such weather?" He spread his arms from the folds of his orange and yellow robes and signaled to the sky._

_Aang quickly pulled his pants up over his trunks and then followed his guardian's pointing hand. It hadn't begun to rain yet, but the way the clouds were swirling and booming, it probably wouldn't be long. "Well, I thought it might be fun. I've never been swimming at night before. Some of the older kids were talking about it today, and I thought I'd give it a try." _

_Gyatso smiled. "Such an adventurous spirit. It is true that swimming beneath the moon is an experience unlike any other. It cleanses the mind, soothes the soul, and enlivens the spirit" He looked at Aang with his kindly face. "But I will share a secret with you." He leaned in and whispered in Aang's ear. "Night swimming deserves a quiet night." _

"That's it!" He sat straight up and then covered his mouth realizing he had just spoken aloud. He turned to his snoozing earthbending teacher, but she barely hesitated in her snoring and returned to rumbling the bedroom floor within seconds of his outburst. Aang wiped his brow and let out a breath. He looked at Momo who was sleeping cozily on his pillow as if nothing had happened. Doing his best not to disturbed his flying companion or sleeping bunkmate, he slid out of bed and put on his robes and pants. He carefully grabbed his glider leaning against the wall beside his bed and slipped out silently.

When he stepped outside, he looked up at the sky. The moon was low and in full bloom. Not a single cloud for miles to cover her. The air was still and smooth, and the only sound he could hear was his own breathing. Well, and maybe the gentle rumble of Toph's snoring, but he could feel it in his bones. "It's perfect."

_Still, it's so much clearer  
I forgot my shirt at the water's edge  
The moon is low tonight_

She awoke with a hand covering her mouth, and every sense in her brain went off like a flashing alarm. Her arm instantly jerked up to knock her assailants hand off her mouth, her other hand already reaching for her water satchel, but her attempt to break the person's hold on her was blocked. She looked up with wide eyes refocusing and saw first a blue arrow, then Aang's face holding a finger to his lips telling her to be quiet. Her entire body relaxed and she let out a breath when he released her mouth.

She sat up, her sleeping bag falling off her shoulders and revealing the white underclothes she'd taken to sleeping in. She narrowed her eyes at him and made a face that asked, _"What's going on?" _ Aang leaned forward and she felt her stomach tighten involuntarily as he breathed on her neck and whispered in her ear.

"Get dressed and meet me by the water fountain. I want to show you something. Don't wake up Sokka."

She blinked at him when he pulled away and looked at her, her mind a bit foggy and taking a second to collect itself. She narrowed her eyes again, this time in a 'you're crazy' look, but she did as he asked. She gathered up her clothes beside her bed, slipped her blue tunic on and her soft blue pants, and snatched up her shoes while she tip toed out. All the while watching Sokka behind her to make sure he didn't wake up as she did so.

Once outside and in the main court area, she looked around for Aang as she walked and slipped on her shoes at the same time. "Aang?" she called out in a hush sort of yell, looking all around her and very confused.

"I'm right here." Aang sat perched at the top of the water fountain like a little bird, goofy smile on his face and waving.

She glared at him. "Must you always do that? What's this all about anyway?"

Aang leaped down and landed right in front of her, hands clasped behind his back innocently. "I want to show you something." He said sweetly.

"Couldn't it wait till morning?" Katara rubbed her eyes, getting the last of the sleep she still had in them.

"No, it couldn't. It's perfect tonight. Besides," Aang smiled and cocked his head to the side. "I thought waterbender's love the night, and it's a full moon."

She gave him a not so amused look. "We draw power from the moon Aang, that doesn't mean we love being woken up in the middle of the night to look at it."

"Well good, cause the moon isn't what I wanted to show you." He grabbed his staff that was leaning against the bottom of the fountain, opened it up, and presented the top side to her. "See the handles up there. Grab a hold."

"What?"

"I said grab a hold and hang on tight." He thrust the glider towards her again.

"Aang…"

"Common Katara, please trust me?" He widened his eyes and gave her his best puppy bear face.

She sighed and looked at him with a sideways stare. _Ugh, blast him and his cute faces!_ She shook her head and reached for the glider, grabbing a hold of the handle bars and trying to position herself awkwardly on what was the top of his glider. "Aang, I don't…"

Aang turned his back to her, moved beneath the glider, and grabbed the bars in between her hand. He bent his knees. "Here we go." He said with a smile she could hear but not see, and before she could complain further they were up in the sky with a blast of air.

"Whoa!" she cried, a little unfamiliar with this glider and sort of awkward being on his back in this way. It took her a minute to stable herself, but once she did, a smile crept up on her and a small laugh escaped her throat. She looked around at the beautiful gorge before them. The moon's light reflecting off the mountain crevices and revealing all sorts of secret places. Nocturnal animals spotted them, stared for moments, and then ran back into their dens fearing they were hunters on the prowl.

Her laugh encouraged Aang, and he lifted them higher, turning a bit and making it so they were flying parallel to the full moon. He could hear her grin as she turned and awed at her ancestor, the first waterbender.

"She's beautiful." He heard her say, and unable to help himself he tried to look up to see her.

"Not as beautiful as you."

Katara laughed, pulling herself up just a little bit so she could lean her head over the front of the glider to see him. "That was corny." She told him playfully.

Aang blushed, but still grinned up at her. "I know. Would you have preferred I pointed out that you are on top of me?"

Katara scoffed, reaching her hand over the glider and whapping him hard on the arm. "I'm not even going to comment on that, but I should slap you when we land." She grinned down at him.

Aang laughed richly. "Hey, no distracting the airbender. I'm flying here!" He paused in his banter for a moment, looking around till he spotted what he was after and then looked back up at her. "Ok, this is it. Hold on tight." He banked to the right, turning them almost sideways and smiling as she shrieked and then laughed, obviously having fun. He took his cue from her laugh and instead of bringing them in straight, spiraled down to the flat ledge of land that was sticking out from the mountain side quite a ways down from the airtemple. He landed carefully, absorbing the shock with his knees and then very slowly tiling the glider up to let Katara slide down off it.

When he turned around to greet her, his breath lodged in his throat. She was practically radiating happiness. She looked invigorated and giddy. Her hair was slightly frazzled around the edges from the wind. Her hair loops had been taken out for the night and the long waves of hair seemed fuller and more intense surrounding her face.

"That was incredible!" She beamed, and Aang smiled from the inside out knowing he had been responsible for the look on her face.

"There's more." He took her hand, leading her through the bushes that lined what appeared to be the end of the ledge they were on, but it went deeper into the side of the mountain. Katara's mind felt light and airy, but she noticed they were following a small trail of water that seemed to run and trickle over the edge of the earthy platform they landed on.

"Watch your head." He called out to her and she ducked just in time to miss a low tree branch that was concealing a medium sized entrance into the mountain. She looked over her shoulder, a bit surprised she had not seen that coming. Then Aang stopped suddenly and she slammed into the back of him.

"We're here." He grinned and looked at her, not saying anything about her abrupt halt into him. He was too excited to see her face and concentrated on every second as she collected herself and looked around.

The entrance they had just passed through concealed an enormous cavern that had been carved by centuries of water flowing through it. Her eyes instantly locked on the waterfall that was streaming down through a large hole in the ceiling of the cavern. The moonlight was shining as brightly as if the entire night sky was exposed and illuminated the craven's pale blue crystals like glow sticks. The light made the pool of water collecting at the base of the waterfall glow as if blue fire lights were beneath it. The water was crystal clear and she felt her breath catch with the desire of wanting to be in it. She squeezed Aang's hand, having held on the entire time and turned to look at him.

"How did you find this?"

"When we came here, one of the older female airbenders was showing us how to fly the bison. She took us all for a ride and we stopped her to let her bison rest before flying back up. He was carrying a lot of us after all." He smiled and continued. "Jinn Ju. He may not have been the brightest nomad but he was up for anything. I always liked him. He disappeared. I guess while we were all listening he followed that trail of water and found this cavern. When we realized he was missing we started looking for him and I just sort of wandered this way. I caught him splashing around in that pool having a grand ol' time."

Katara looked around the cavern again, cranking her neck to see the ceiling. Crystals were jutting out in various clusters and water was falling from them in icy blue droplets. "That's amazing."

Aang chuckled and put is free hand behind his head sheepishly. "Well, not really. The mountain is full of places like this. That's how the airtemple has water. We found a water pool in the side of the mountain that's a bit higher than certain parts of the temple and we funnel it down to places like the fountain and drinking wells." He shrugged as if it was no big deal. "I imagine that waterfall is from a plateau like this but higher up that broke through. I'm sure it didn't take long for the water to eat right through the earth and into here."

Katara laughed. "Don't tell Toph that." She smiled, taking in the sights all around her. The moon had moved during their short conversation and she could see it getting closer to the top of the fall. It took her a minute to realize, but the cave was getting brighter the more light it was allowed to reflect. She shook her head in pure awe. "I saw the crystal caves in Ba Sing Se, but I never imagined anything like this could exist. It's just…"

Aang was too busy staring at her to realize she had stopped talking. His heart was bursting with joy that she liked his little gift, and even more that he had been able to make her so happy.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?"

Aang snapped out of it. "Oh, I was smiling?"

Both laughed at their repeat conversation, and Aang finally relinquished her hand moving towards the pool and pulling his tunic over his head. "Well? Are you coming in or what?" He flashed that playful grin Katara just loved and took off for the pool taking his shoes and pants off while running.

Katara felt the playful side of her taking total control, throwing all caution and better judgment right out the cave. "You better watch it! I'm gonna drown you!"

_Nightswimming deserves a quiet night  
I'm not sure all these people understand  
It's not like years ago,  
The fear of getting caught,  
Of recklessness and water  
They cannot see me naked  
These things, they go away,  
Replaced by everyday_

Aang dove into the pool head first, just catching her words before he went beneath the cool water, touching the bottom with his hands, then turning around and coming back up, throwing the water off with a sharp jerk of his head. "What was that? Drown me? Bring it on!" He paused, looking around and not seeing her anywhere. His smile fell as he spun around scanning the cave for her, and then looked back down into the clear water but he didn't see her. "Katara?"

"Waterbending Bomb!" She shouted and leaped off the ledge jutting out from the rapids just at the top of the falls. She curled her legs up to her chest, clasped her arms around her legs, and as she hit the pools surface she forced her energy outward causing a large wave to rise and force its way out.

Aang yelled, and tried to paddle to the shore as she fell, but he was swallowed in her wave, hoisted up and over the pools ledge.

Katara touched the bottom of the rather deep pool, but as soon as her toes touched she was already twisting her body, coiling like a snake, and then striking up with all her might. The water gathered around her like a hurricane. The moment her head broke through the water she threw her arms out and gathered the almost crashing wave back towards the pool.

Aang was still screaming as the he tried to right himself in the wave to crash feet first, but all he saw was rocks coming at him. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the impact, but it never came. His face furrowed as he realized he was moving backward. Opening his eyes he blinked at the rocks slowly moving away from him. _No, __**I'M**__ moving away from them!_ His eyes shot open and he flipped over to see Katara as she spun around atop her water tornado. She laughed; spinning faster and forcing Aang to ride her wave in the opposite direction. He screamed all the way back down into the pool and was silenced as the force of the water crashing above swirled him around.

When he resurfaced, she was treading water and laughing giddily. "Told you I'd drown you."

Aang was holding onto one of the rocks at the edge of the water, catching his breath. He laughed, a little raspy, and flashed her that notoriously playful grin. "Oh it's on. You're messing with the avatar baby."

She snickered. "Yes you are the avatar, and I'm your waterbending master. Everything you know, you learned from me." She blew on her knuckles and rubbed it against her shoulder.

"Well we'll see about that." With a determined grin he bunched his legs against the side and leaped across the pool to a quarter of the way up the falls, smashing his fist down to freeze a quick moving water ledge for himself. He leaped up again, this time nearly three quarters to the tip and made the ledge again. By his third leap he was at the rock outcropping she had just jumped from, puffing out his chest and calling down to her. "I bet you couldn't get up the waterfall that fast." He went to stick his tongue out, but stopped as he realized he couldn't see her down there.

"How do you think I got up here the first time?"

A voice sounded from behind him. He whipped around, face dropping in shock. She leaned against the tricking part of the falls; hand outstretched catching the falling water and bending it around her fingers like a quarter walking along her knuckles. He knew he should be finding some smart retort to her sassiness, but he couldn't help noticing her standing there with a playful look on her face, challenging posture, in her white undergarments, water spraying around her face and trickling down her back. Her hair was completely down with the once intact loops falling around the sides of her face. A hard swallow was the only response Aang could manage.

Katara walked up to him in a mischievously feminine manner. She didn't mean to tease him so, but she had completely let her guard down. She was being her age, an almost 15 year old girl playing around with her boyfriend.

_Boyfriend!_

She screamed in her mind and halted her assent on the avatar. Her mind raced as she stared at him. _I meant best friend. Best friend is what I meant to say. He's always been my best friend._ Her thoughts froze. Her eyes caught his and saw a look of complete adoration. She could feel his longing, reaching out to her like a warm blanket, but what scared her most was the same feeling in the pit of her stomach. She traced his tattoos down his body without so much as moving a muscle of her neck. _Boyfriend._ She corrected, and suddenly found herself turning red and becoming distinctly aware of how they were both dressed, or lack thereof. It had never mattered before, but all of a sudden, it mattered. It mattered a great deal. It was her turn to swallow hard.

Aang stood still, his thoughts almost exactly the same as hers. It always perked his attention a bit when she wore her undergarments, but being alone with her, the new level their relationship had taken. It suddenly meant so much more. If he could stop thinking about her for half a second, he might have been shy at his almost nude state, down to his trunks, but he couldn't stop thinking about her and what it might be like to one day get to explore her. He was much too timid to go there now. After all, they were still just kids, but they wouldn't be kids forever.

Katara was starting to sweat from the direction her thoughts had taken. She was just…curious about the new avenues she realized would become available to her and Aang in a few years time, if it all worked out of course. She just couldn't help looking at him, his body, and wondering if but for a moment…

She visibly shook her head, standing up a bit straighter and snapping out of the lustful fog that had commanded her mind momentarily. She chanced a glance at Aang again, and this time, she saw only her best friend standing there. She smiled at him, his goofy grin returning as he too seemed to break the hold of whatever had come over them a moment ago. Her smile widened back into a mischievous grin and she ran at him, nabbing his hand and leaping off the edge with him.

Aang was ready. He saw it coming when she started running at him, almost as if in slow motion. He turned to face the falls, held his hand out, and leaped of his own free will off the ledge. Their free hands pin wheeled as they yelled happily and took the plunge deep into the pale blue water, never breaking their connection.

_Nightswimming, remembering that night  
September's coming soon  
I'm pining for the moon  
And what if there were two  
Side by side in orbit  
Around the fairest sun?  
That bright, tight forever drum  
Could not describe nightswimming_

They burst through the surface together, their laughter filling the cave and crystals with their energy. Katara flipped her hair back off her face, and caught sight of the moon shining down through the hole in the ceiling in perfect alignment. She looked around the cave at its absolute brightest.

"It looks like daylight in here."

Aang spun his head from side to side slowly. "It does, like some perfectly tinged blue day."

Katara looked at him and laughed. "Blue days usually are depressed ones."

Aang laughed and put one of his hands behind his head and blushed lightly. "Oh. I guess your right about that. Well, it's still pretty either way." He gave her his cheesy big grin, which made her chuckle softly.

The moon was shining straight down on them, and she couldn't help feeling like it was drawing closer to the earth, closer to them, almost as if to spy on them. She laughed a little nervously, the broken contact of their hands suddenly bringing to her attention just how close they were. _There's that feeling again._ She bit her lip, hoping to contain it, but then Aang smiled warmly, and the look in his eyes was one of calm, contentment. He seemed to know this was meant to be.

Her heart beat slowed, and the nerves building in her stomach lessoned. Her lips curved into a sincere, caring smile and without words she knew. She closed her eyes, and leaned forward.

He pressed his lips against her, gentle but sure. She felt his hands gently touch hers again, then timidly run up her arms coming to rest on her middle back, just below the water. He pulled her just a bit closer, and with that, her mind went numb. As if compelled, she snaked her arms around his neck, loosely letting them hang there. There was still some distance between them, but even in the cool water Katara could feel their heat radiating.

Aang was on fire. If he could think, he would have been worried about spontaneously combusting into flames and burning the woman he loved…again. His whole body seemed to spark as she ran her hands up, having unknowingly traced the tattoos on his arms, and now resting them on his neck.

Before his mind could flood him with fears and anxiety to break the moment, he tilted his head, parted his lips against hers and very tenderly took her lower lip with them in a small gesture of deepening the kiss.

She responded instantly, her body acting from the heart, the place her mother always told her every waterbender needed to listen to. She opened for him, just a little, tilting her head the other way and pulling his top lip in between hers.

His tattoos flared to life in a bright flash. His body tingling as his avatar spirit awakened deep within and rumbled with energy. His present consciousness faded as older lives took root and recognize the soul they were holding in their arms. Hers had been there for centuries, always by their side no matter what form it took. Her soul had the power to heal them, to uplift them, and to bring them to their knees with a single glance. It had always been so. She was as integral to the world as the Avatar, because she was the keeper of their heart. Her soul had made them human time and time again.

Katara lost herself in sensations coursing through her body. Had she been familiar with her past lives she may have recognized the hold they were taking on her, for as Aang's lives came forward so too did hers. Ta Min and Ummi, both searching for the version of the Avatar they called theirs. There were others too, other lives from so long ago the world may never have known their name, but they shoved forward searching for their match in time. Somewhere, in the deepest parts of her subconscious, she could see it happening, feel herself being pushed father from Aang as the memories of her soul crowded forward. She was losing him…

Involuntarily, her face scrunched determinedly against the young Avatar's face, lips never breaking contact as Katara forced her presence past the rest, recapturing her mind and the moment as her own. _This is my turn in time. Aang is my avatar, and I'm his match._

Aang had been floating in his own mind, vaguely aware of the lives crowding and fighting for his consciousness. He was used to it, and there were so many. He just couldn't figure out why they were all fighting to get through, when he suddenly realized what he was missing. _Katara…_ He began fighting, determined to keep his kiss with her as his when suddenly he was back; pulled right through his past lives as if they were thin air. Her sweet taste flooded his mouth and nearly knocked him flat. He never realized that she had pulled him back, that the other versions of himself were forced back when she claimed him as her own. They would not fight him again. The soul of this era had made it clear which version she wanted, and as they had for centuries, they would do as she wished.

_You, I thought I knew you  
You, I cannot judge  
You, I thought you knew me,  
This one laughing quietly underneath my breath  
Nightswimming_

Although it may have been the most painful thing he'd ever done, Aang finally released her in an agonizingly slow way. He still could taste her on his lips and his eyes remained closed, savoring the moment for just a second more before he let them fluttered open. He smiled, seeing her face still tilted to the side, eyes still closed, and cheeks a soft shade of pink.

It took her a few moments to orient herself. A small whimper had escaped her when he pulled away so slowly. She couldn't control it. Her desire came from a much deeper place than she had ever imagined, but now understood. When she finally open her eyes, his face filled her vision, and there was that dopey smile of his. She laughed lightly, reaching up and touching his cheek. "It is you."

"Of course it's me. Who else would it be?"

Katara shook her head and smiled. "No one." She let her arms descend slowly from his neck and into the water, taking a deep breath and looked around the cave.

Aang took a deep breath too, releasing her waist and letting distance fill the space between them again, but it felt much less than ever before. He joined her in looking around the cave aglow with the light of the moon as it slowly moved passed the opening at the top and dimming the reflective crystals. He looked back at Katara. "Why are you smiling like that?"

Katara jerked her head to look at him. "Oh, I was smiling?" She laughed and tried like hell to wipe the grin from her face but failed miserably.

Aang tried hard to contain it, but the two just burst into laughter. Feeling playful again, he splashed some water at her, about to leap off the underwater rock they were standing on when she grabbed him and threw them both back into the middle of the pool. She shoved him down by his shoulders, then quickly tried to swim away, but he resurfaced and grabbed her ankle, pulling her back and dunking her. "Ha, ha gotcha!" He yelled, but was cut off when she came up squirting a stream of water out her mouth right into his face.

"Whose got who?" She snickered, and the two continued to play until the cave was almost dark as the moon moved away from the ceiling opening on its journey around the earth.

And somewhere, a wise old airbender smiled.

_The photograph reflects,  
Every streetlight a reminder  
Nightswimming deserves a quiet night, deserves a quiet night_

--

_Congrats! You made it through the second chapter. I hope it made you feel all gushy inside. Hehe. J/K. I do hope you enjoyed though. Next chapter will wrap some things up and tie in what happened during their first mutual kiss to the avatar and his extended frozen time. :) _

_Oh, and just because I have to tell someone - I'm going to the NY Comic Con this weekend! YEAH!! I cannot WAIT to see the series finale trailer. Oh man, I am freaking out. 4 more days. YES! _

_Ok, I'm done now. Heh heh. Happy writing and reading!_


	3. The Reason

_Hey Ya'll, thanks again for the reviews and sorry it took so long for chapter 3. I got back from the Con and was swamped with end of the semester work. Plus, I still hadn't quite worked out the ending, but I think this is good enough. I must warn..._

**WAT SPOILER!! **- there is one spoiler down at the bottom I used a character line. I couldn't help it, it just fit too perfectly. So if you are remaining spoiler free, be warned. It is a small one, but there you have it.

_Other than that, I hope you all enjoy. Aang's mature side shows a bit in this chapter. After all, he has his moments of clarity. He's come a long way. This is the end, so any final words are always appreciated. _

_-LK_

_I do not own Avatar, although I do so enjoy playing in their universe._

_Edit: Ok, so I decided I didn't like the ending just being left like that. It felt...incomplete, so I added just a little bit to make it more circular. Sorry if you've already read it before the changes. Thanks for all the fast responses. I'm really glad you all enjoyed it. Although this one is over, I have a few other ideas so we'll just see if time allows. Summer is coming. ;) _

_Peace and Happy Writings!_

--

**Chapter Three:** **The Reason**

"What do you think that one looks like?" Katara pointed to a cluster of stars shining brightly in the night sky.

"hmmmm…" Aang furrowed his brow, one arm wrapped around Katara's shoulders and the other coming up to touch his chin. "An arrow?"

Katara laughed and elbowed his side gently, her head resting on the arm he had draped over her. They were still in their swim clothes, letting them dry on their bodies in the warm night air. They'd left the cave a little bit ago, not entirely ready to go back yet, so making themselves comfortable on the grassy area towards the edge of the outcropping they had landed on. "You think everything looks like an arrow."

Aang shrugged with a smile. "Hey, I'm partial to arrows."

She rolled her eyes at him, looking back up at the sky. "I think it looks like a dragon."

Aang tilted his head to the left, mimicking her posture. "Oh, I see it. And those ones look like the fire coming out of its mouth." He pointed with his unoccupied arm.

Katara smiled, letting the sounds of the night fill their ears and surround them a moment. She felt more relaxed than she had in…well…probably years. Until she met Aang, she'd almost forgotten what it was like to lie around and do nothing, or indulge in fun activities. She turned her head towards him, watching him stare up at the stars in childlike joy. "Thank you for this."

Aang crinkled his brow and turned his head to look at her. "For what?"

"This." She swept her arm around to encompass their surroundings. "I feel…peaceful, and I really needed that."

The airbender smiled and leaned up on his free elbow to get a good look at her eyes. He got lost in them for a moment, like the pool they had just been swimming in, crystal blue. "You're welcome." He sat up a little more, reluctantly slipping his arm out from beneath her, he pulled his bare knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "The truth is…" He stuttered. "Well, I mean, you do that for me all the time Katara. From the moment I met you actually." He lowered his gaze to the ground in a terribly shy gesture. "You're always there for me. Comforting me, protecting me, saving me!" He picked his arms up to emphasize the last words. "I mean…" He let out a frustrated breath, at a loss for words and simply turned his gaze back towards the grass.

She lay there staring at him for a long moment, watching as he struggled for the right thing to say, not realizing that she already understood him. He usually didn't have to say what he was feeling. She would pick up on it eventually. She sat up, hands picking at the grass beneath her. "You feel guilty that I have to do those things for you. Like maybe you should stand on your own or something." _Just like on the Fire Nation ship. When will he realize!_

Aang lowered his head even further so that all she could see was the top of his arrow. He hugged himself a little tighter. "It is that…but more. You're…" He tilted his head upward. "You're my family Katara, and you offered your brother and yourself up as such before you even knew me, because you saw a scared kid with nothing and that's just who you are. You help people, and while I love that about you, there is a part of me that wishes I never would have burdened you like that. You've lost so much because you stood by me, and I know I should let you go. Guru Pathik told me, but I can't. If I do, I just…I wouldn't know what to do." He closed his eyes and let his head drop guiltily. "I'm sorry Katara."

She sat confused before turning to face him, but all she could see what his back, and the large scar blaring out at her. It made her wince every time she saw it, remembering the night it was placed on him.

"Aang?" She paused a moment, waiting for him to look at her. "Do you remember what Avatar Roku told you, about friendships lasting more than one lifetime?"

He nodded, swiveling his head just a little bit on his knees to look at her through is peripheral vision.

"Roku had a wife didn't he? Ta Min? She stood by him right? You told me how long they waited for each other in your vision. That she gave up a good portion of her years while he did his avatar training?"

"He didn't exactly tell me that, but I sorta thought she did. I mean, in the vision, you could just tell the way she looked at him. She had waited."

Katara nodded. "Do you remember what she looked like?"

Now, he lifted his head off his knees, confusion on his face as he turned to look at her more fully, not at all sure where she was going. He took in the color of her hair, the shape of her eyes. Not quite like Ta Min's but glowing like hers seemed to be, especially the way she looked when she was younger, when she was Katara's age. She had kind of worn her hair like…His eyes widened as he sat up straighter and blinked.

A slow smile curved on Katara's lips and she couldn't help a little red coming to her cheeks. He was looking at her so intensely. She had to turn away momentarily, but quickly brought her eyes back to him.

"It was you! She was you, you…I mean." Aang fumbled and shut his mouth not quite sure what to say.

Katara chuckled, turning even redder. "I sort of figured it out when we were…um…kissing in the pool. There are lots of past lives…past wives or…partners of the avatar there. They tried to rush me when we connected."

Aang stared at her in utter amazement, it all making since now. "They did me too! It was like they were all trying to get back to their match. I didn't know what was going on but…" He shook his head, still blown away by the realization. Then he thought about something and raised his eyebrow at her. "You fought for me didn't you?"

She swallowed and looked down at her hands. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Aang's smile grew. "Yeah you do. Cause they all backed off. I couldn't get through, but they retreated and then I was back with you. It was like someone told them to."

Katara shrugged and kept looking at the ground, trying to hide her embarrassed smile that just wouldn't go from her face. "Well, maybe I did." She looked up at him and laughed delicately. "They we're in my way."

Aang chuckled and leaned a little closer to her. "You know. I'm suddenly really glad you're so bossy."

Katara reached out and slapped him across the shoulder. "Hey!" She was about to work herself into a tizzy, but he was just sitting there smiling at her with that grin that always melted the anger right out of her. Before she knew it, she was chuckling at her lack of resolve. "I hate when you do that."

Aang continued to smile at her. "Hate? That's such a strong word." He leaned in a little closer, his expression changing to one of playful seduction.

She laughed and rolled her eyes, pushing him back just a little bit. "Ok, now you're just being full of yourself. You really should learn how to compliment a girl too."

His smile faded and he looked confused. Katara gave him a quizitive look, then holding out one hand in mocking form said, "Well, if it was between kissing you and dying…"

The airbender turned bright red and dropped his head. "You're never going to let me live that down are you?"

Katara grinned as wide as he had been just a moment before. "Nope. Not ever. And if all this is true about our past lives, then ever is going to be a long time."

He tried so hard to hide it, the smile growing on his face as he let out a pretend groan, but all it really did was serve to make Katara laugh. Shyly, he snaked his arm back around her waist and pulled her just a little closer to him so their shoulders were touching. The sounds of night filled their ears as their banter died down and they sat in silence a moment of perfect contentment, but Aang felt it shift in the air as Katara shoulders slumped just slightly.

"Aang. I have a confession to make."

He looked at her, not sure what on earth she could confess that could dim her brightness like that.

"When I think about you being locked in that iceberg for 100 years…I know it kills you knowing that the world fell apart during that time, that so much was lost, but…selfishly?" She looked at him sincerely. "I'm grateful. If you'd been alive for those years, I would have missed you. We never…it just wouldn't have happened." She bit her lip, ashamed to say her feelings out loud like that. After all, the world had needed the avatar, but so did she, 100 years later, more than anything.

Aang looked down at their hands a moment, rolling over what she had said and what they had been talking about all night. She had hit a nerve with him, and she knew it. That was why she had hesitated, but the fact remained, he had left the world hanging, he had let his nation die, and the guilt was sometimes unbearable. He could almost feel the water and heart chakras becoming blocked again, but he stopped himself. Instead of drowning in guilt and grief he thought about what she had said. The meaning behind it. It was true. If he hadn't been frozen, he would have missed her. If he was even still alive he would have been a very, very old man by the time she was even born. It had always been a mystery to him, why he was frozen so long. He had come to learn that nothing in his life was ever by chance. There was always a reason. A reason he was frozen, a reason it was Katara who freed him. His eyes lightened up, his chakras clearing as guilt and grief flowed down the creek, and he looked at her with all the warmth he felt. "I waited for you."

She saw the smile return to his lips, but not his goofy or self assured smile, this was the smile of sincerity. The one that expressed his heart and showed what kind of man he truly was. As his words filled her chest, she couldn't help but mirror it back to him. She reached out and clung to him, tightly, as if a dam were breaking inside of her and for once, she let him be the strong one. She let him comfort her, protect her, save her.

After a little bit he pulled away and smiled tenderly, wiping the little tear on her cheek away with one finger. "Your heart is beating so fast."

She let out a releasing laugh, pulling back her tears and looked at him. "It does that when I get too close to you. I used to be afraid you'd hear it before. That's why I never hugged you for too long." She chuckled again at the irony.

Aang took her hand and brought it up to his chest, placing it over his heart. "You make mine calm. It's when I'm away from you that I feel like it's going to leap out of my chest."

She smiled delicately, feeling the steady pace of its beat. Not sure what to say, she simply looked at him with tinted red cheeks. He leaned in, kissed her nose, and rescued her.

"We should probably be heading back before your brother wakes up and skins my tattooed hide."

Katara laughed, letting him help her up and dusting off her bum. She walked over to her pile of robes and started putting them on as he did the same. Her underclothes now completely dry, as was her hair, although it was in quite the state of disarray. "Don't worry. Toph will protect you."

Aang laughed as he slipped his the orange strap of his tunic over his shoulder. "What makes you think he'll listen?"

Katara stopped tying the knot of her pants and looked at him.

"Oh, that's right. She's Toph."

They both laughed and he grabbed his glider, flinging it open and kneeling down so she could climb on. "Ready for another ride princess?"

Katara grinned as she walked up to him, fully dressed. "Sugar Queen will do just fine Aang. Thank you." She snootily threw her hair back, making fun of herself, and climbed aboard the airbender express.

--

"Where have you two been?!" Sokka came running out of the air temple practically pulling out his hair and looking like he had been foaming at the mouth.

Katara rolled her eyes as she stepped forward, saving a rather pale and petrified Avatar from speaking. She extended the front flap of her dress and showed him the mound of berries and fruits her and Aang had picked. His eyes lit up and he jutting his hand out taking a handful and smashing them into his mouth.

"Mmmm. This is tasty." Then he glared back at them. "That still doesn't explain where you two have been?!"

Toph stepped forward at that point, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Doesn't it? You think the berries just magically appeared in her gown?"

Sokka glared at his sister and the rather quiet airbender beside her. His eyes leaped back and forth from one to the next. Katara stayed perfectly calm and poised with annoyance, and his eyes fixated on Aang who looked rather fidgety and nervous. He opened his mouth to confront this suspicious behavior, but Katara elbowed him and walked right past him.

"We wanted to surprise you with a good breakfast. Common, I'm making berry meal cakes."

The young warrior followed his sister with his head, then whipped back around to give Aang a harsh look. He pointed at the avatar. "I got my eye on you young man." Then he flipped around and marched after the food exaggeratedly.

Aang let out a huge breath of relief and slumped forward.

"That was close Twinkle Toes. Next time you take her out like that, come back before he wakes up." She reached out and punched his arm so hard he teetered a bit. She couldn't see the warm smile that came to his face though as he rubbed his arm.

"Thanks Toph."

"And don't sneak out of our room again like that. It insults my senses."

Aang chuckled and faced his teacher with a graceful bow. "Yes Sifu Toph."

Suddenly Aang heard Katara let out a loud, angry yell, and the sound of water freezing and cracking. He and Toph were off running before the sound had passed all the way through their ears.

"Katara!" He skidded to a halt to see Zuko frozen to the wall of the temple, an empty pot that had obviously been boiling water in it seconds before, and a very pissed off waterbender poised to slice his throat.

"Hold on! Wait! I come in peace!" The fire prince shouted and would have held up his hands if they weren't already frozen to the wall.

"Don't even try that trick again!" Katara shouted furiously at him and took an aggressive step forward.

"Yeah!" Sokka added brandishing his club, attempting to be ferocious and not having any idea what his sister meant by that.

"No! I mean it this time. I've changed!"

"Shut your trap! I've heard it before."

"I know, but it's for good this time. I was confused before, but I'm not now. I want to teach the avatar firebending."

"Not if I can help it!" Katara raised her hands, a stream of water flying with them and glinting in the rising sun like the edge of a blade.

"Katara wait." Aang stepped forward and delicately placed a hand on her shoulder, halting her attempt to behead the fire prince. "Let's hear him out."

The waterbender blinked, her eyes widening indignantly but still holding her water sword high. "What! Have you lost your mind?! He's just trying to trick you! He's done it before. Aang, you cannot be buying this!"

He pursed his lips and looked at Zuko, studied him hard as the Fire Prince looked right as if he were offering Aang his life story to read and judge as he saw fit. The Avatar's face suddenly soften as it became clear to him. He turned back to Katara, reached up slowly, and gently brought her hands downward. Water splashed at their feet as she stared at him in utter shock.

She leaned towards him, lowering her voice so only he could hear. Sokka and Toph were still a few feet away, standing at the ready, but Zuko was close enough to hear and he watched, heart pounding for his fate. "I can't risk losing you again Aang. What happened in Ba Sing Se was because of him, because of his lies."

Aang took a deep breath, still holding her wrists with great tenderness. He spoke to her eyes, eliminating the onlookers and speaking as if it were just the two of them. "I know, but remember what you said? About why I might have been frozen for so long? I know I was waiting for you, but I think that may have just been a part of it Katara. What if I was waiting for other pieces to fall into place too?"

Katara shook her head ever so slightly. "I don't understand."

"Think about it. Who would have taught me firebending 100 years ago, when the war was first started and my people were being slaughtered? Who would have taught me 50 years ago, when the Water Tribes were being picked apart? 20 years ago! Katara…Until this moment, there hasn't been a soul for a century that would have taught me."

She shook her head in disbelief, voice raising just a little bit. "That's not true. Jeong Jeong, Iroh!"

Aang pursed his lips again and squeezed her hands. "Jeong Jeong didn't leave the army till maybe 10 years ago, _if_ that. Less than 16 years ago, Iroh was trying to bring down the walls of Ba Sing Se. He was one of the greatest Fire Nation generals. Even if I could have waited for them, would I have lived that long? Katara, you were the one who made me realize there was a reason I was frozen for so long. All the pieces weren't in place yet for me to actually stop this war. The same is true for what happened at Ba Sing Se and at the palace. You said so yourself, I have to learn all four elements, that's my path, and until I do I won't ever be able to defeat the Fire Lord. The truth is, there hasn't ever been a time when that was actually possible, until right now, this moment, when a firebender literally shows up on an airbender door step." His voice got a little louder and more poignant as he spoke, trying desperately to reach her. Zuko watched with utter fascination as he listened to their conversation.

Katara listened, and stared at him for what seemed like a very long time after he finished. He couldn't tell what exactly she was thinking, but he watched as her logic and emotions dueled behind her eyes, and eventually, her logic won when she lowered her head in concede. Without a word she released one of his hands and held it up to the frozen ice holding Zuko and lowered it, perhaps with a little too much force as she sent the Fire Prince smacking into the ground with a loud 'ooof!'.

Sokka and Toph came forward as Katara slipped her second hand out of Aang's and quietly stepped away from him to face them.

"What's going on?" Sokka demanded as Zuko slowly rose.

Aang was watching Katara, feeling her distance as she crossed her arms. He sighed and stepped forward. "I want to hear Zuko out. I need a firebending teacher, and he's the only possibility to come along since Jeong Jeong."

"Whose…" Toph stopped herself and shook her head. "Never mind. If it's important, I'll find out about it." She watched as Zuko dusted himself off and came to stand just to the side of Aang. He bowed.

"Thank you for giving me a chance. I know I haven't been…well…erm….the most, trust worthy person, but I will prove to you I have changed and I'm ready to help you defeat my father."

Katara whipped around, hair whipping her face then flying back to rest on her shoulder. "Oh, so that's it! You're mad at your Daddy and now you want the Avatar's help to destroy him?"

Zuko blinked. "Um…well, I am mad at my Dad. If I wanted to fight him I already could have, but that's not my destiny. That's his." He pointed to Aang and carefully watched the rest of the group's reactions.

Aang sighed. "Why don't we all go sit down and talk about this." He turned his head from the group to where Katara had been standing, but he only caught her shadow slipping around the corner. His heart sank to his feet remembering the dream like moments they had shared a mere hour earlier. He knew they would work it out, but the night memories had been replaced with reality much too soon. Perhaps one day soon, another quiet night would present itself and the morning would bring only new dreams.

_These things they go away, replaced by everyday, Nightswimming..._


End file.
